Police: Houston suspect threatens witness in his drug cases
A Houston Borough man is facing charges he threatened and intimidated a witness in two controlled drug buys last year that led to his arrest in late June.
State police arrested Patrick Leonar Thurston, 51, Friday and sought a high bond in the case to protect the alleged victim, who claimed Thurston threatened to take her to a remote location June 29 and told her “she was done,” a trooper noted in the affidavit supporting the criminal charges in the case.
The woman said she was walking along Jefferson Avenue in Washington about 4:30 p.m. when Thurston drove past in his car. She said he quickly turned his car around and waved her to its door. She got inside, thinking Thurston wanted to say hello, police stated in court records.
She then claimed Thurston accused her of setting him up to get arrested for drug sales to state police, who used confidential informants in the investigation.
She also claimed he became angrier when she denied any involvement in his previous arrests, prompting her to ask to be let out of the vehicle because she was scared, the court record alleges.
The woman also claimed she stepped out of the vehicle when it stopped at a red light. At that point, she said, Thurston jerked his car forward, causing the door frame to hit her leg and knock her off balance.
She escaped to her friend’s nearby residence and then moved to a safe location Thursday, police said.
The following day, Thurston allegedly sent her three threatening text messages.
District Judge Mark Wilson sent Thurston to Washington County jail on $100,000 bond, and he was released the following day after posting it. He is charged with unlawful restraint, simple assault, making terroristic threats and intimidating a witness or victim.
Thurston also is free on $20,000 unsecured bonds on charges he sold drugs to an informant May 7, 2015, in Washington and May 12, 2015, in Canonsburg. He was arraigned June 27 in those cases.